Yuko Yamaguchi, the third designer of Japanese cartoon and global mega-brand Hello Kitty, poses with various dolls during a press conference in Hong Kong on July 17.Hello Kitty started in 1974 in Japan as a moon-faced cartoon cat on a coin purse. Aaron Tam, AFP/Getty Images

A woman looks at a gold Hello Kitty doll at the opening of the Gold Expo event at the Takashimaya department store on May 22 in Yokohama, Japan. The gold Hello Kitty, produced for the cartoon charater's 40th anniversary, is priced at $172,800. Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

The Hello Kitty balloon floats along Times Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 24, 2011, in New York City. Robert Deutsch, USA TODAY

A bridesmaid is dressed as Hello Kitty during an Oct. 8, 2009, wedding in Wuhan, China. The bride wanted as many Hello Kitty items as possible at her wedding. Zhou Chao, epa

A Hello Kitty companion robot sits on a shelf on Jan. 1, 2009, at the VStone Robot Center in Akihabara, Japan. The robot is capable of limited conversation with a human through recorded responses. Calum MacLeod, USA TODAY

An employee of Sanrio displays a Hello Kitty electric fan on March 26, 2008, at the company's headquarters in Tokyo. Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

NEC Corp.'s new laptop is decorated with pink crystal Hello Kitty characters on June 6, 2007, in Tokyo. Kyodo News Service via AP

A worker displays Hello Kitty gold coins, made by Japan's Mint Bureau, on March 3, 2004, in Tokyo. The coins, modeled after ancient Japanese coins, are made of pure gold. Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

A man wears a Hello Kitty mask on April 23, 2003, in Beijing. Greg Baker, AP